The Fidget Connections Canon: The Party is NOT over YET!
by Reyelene
Summary: A masquerade ball is to be held at Buckingham Palace, and all citizens of mousedom MUST attend! What'll happen when Fidget encounters Queen Mousetoria once again?
1. What Should I Wear?

**Oh yes, here it comes! You all** ** _knew_** **that** ** _this_** **was going to happen! After all, Fidget was the one who attempted to have Queen Mousetoria executed by feeding her to Felicia. What inspired me to write this pastiche story was that scene where Mousetoria has Fidget tied up, and in all honesty, I would've** ** _preferred_** **that Fidget's fate in the film would've ended like** ** _this_** **. Not to be killed off, but knowing that he had lost, his punishment is the embarrassment he feels for treating his victims so shamelessly. But I did not create the film and Disney took a different route in deciding Fidget's demise. Since Fidget was Professor Ratigan's second-in-command, Disney decided to have Fidget escape with him, only to be thrown in the River Thames by the very employer he had served for many years. Sorry Disney, as much as I love how you make your points in how good guys will always win, this one was a total disappointment. Why couldn't you make Fidget's fate similar to Horace's and Jasper's from** ** _101 Dalmatians_** **? That would've been fair.**

 **However, I decided to do a little twist on this one. Something that would completely turn Fidget's prejudice of fat, rich, lazy mice around as he discovers some enlightening information he never knew about Mousetoria ... specifically her relationship with Prince Albert and the original vision they shared for the good of all mousedom.**

* * *

 **Chapter 1: _What Should I Wear?_**

" _Hear ye! Hear ye!_ Queen Mousetoria announces a masquerade ball to be held at _Buckingham Palace_! _All_ citizens are to attend, be it rodent or other!"

Fidget sat on the bench not too far from St. James Park, catching his breath from the excitement of the crowds. Paul Triste happened to be with him, the Von Freirherr Brothers trust Fidget enough to allow him to look after Paul while they were out on errands. And for the most part, Paul was well behaved. Fidget didn't have to worry too much that Paul would wander far and get himself lost. And Paul enjoyed Fidget's company, frequently asking the bat if he could help out with anything. Generally, Fidget would get annoyed at the thought of someone wanting to help him too much, but he reminded himself that Paul was just a child and only meant well.

However, there was _another_ matter that annoyed him _more_. This masquerade that the town crier kept mentioning about ... All citizens were to attend, be it rodent or _other._ Fidget didn't like the fact that creatures that were non-rodent were referred to as _other_. As a matter of fact, it secretly pissed him off. Which brought him to an even deeper level in his anger ... He _had_ to attend, whether he liked it or not, in the same exact palace where he had Queen Mousetoria tied up and almost fed to Felicia. He was to see that, that ... _fatty_ queen _again_?! Eck! Of all his past crimes he had done, this one he was _not_ sorry for! This was the same queen who carelessly lead mousedom into stagnation, who outcasted creatures of the night like him because he was a bat! And Fidget wasn't the only one who disliked the queen. Oh no! It was often talked about that others had attempted to assassinate Queen Mousetoria in the past. Most of them were sentenced to "transportation," never to be seen by their families again, some were sent to insane asylums. If Queen Mousetoria were to ever so much as see Fidget again, she would surely have announced sentence on him to either of those two fates. Both equally _frightened_ him.

"What will you dress up as for the ball, Mr. Fidget?" Paul asked.

"I don't know, Paul, but hopefully it's somethin' dat resembles a _wall_ ," Fidget replied in a sarcastic manner.

"Why do you say that?" Paul asked inquisitively. Clearly, the boy was clever enough to catch onto Fidget's sarcasm.

"Because Queen Mousetoria is a _fat, lazy, spoiled ..._!" Fidget did not complete his sentence. He was too caught up in his anger toward the queen. " _Pigs_ are better lookin' dhan her!"

" _Hey_ , don't say that, Mr. Fidget! That's _not nice_!"

The tone of authority in Paul's voice made Fidget clasp his mouth with his webbed hand. _Well, she IS_ , was what the peg-legged bat wanted to say, but he was already embarrassed for setting a bad example to Paul. Fidget considered himself lucky that Paul was smart enough _not_ to copy another person's vices.

"You're right, I'm sorry," Fidget sighed, his cheeks blushed. " _Mr. Fidget_ just had to let out his frustration."

Paul raised an eyebrow. "Why are you frustrated?"

"Because I'm bein' forced to go to a masquerade ball," Fidget replied, "and da queen and I don't get along too good."

" _Why_?"

"She hates bats."

" _Why_?"

"Because bats are creatures of da night, and _she_ doesn't like dat."

" _Why_?"

 _I just told you WHY, now STOP ASKING!_ Fidget yelled in his head. Why the bat did _not_ say his thoughts out loud wasn't because he feared hurting Paul's feelings for simply asking _why_. The little boy was much stronger in character than the Von Freirherr brothers gave him credit for, and Paul would've likely asked Fidget _why_ he was being yelled at. The real reason Fidget _held his tongue_ was because sometimes _he_ would get tired of his own whining and complaining, even if others around him were tolerant of it. It was _not_ healthy for him to dwell on negative thoughts all the time, his foster parents and Father Richards constantly had to tell him that. And if the bat had to think of any good traits that came from his previous trainings as an outlaw of society, it was that Fidget was a quick thinker. Folks were _less likely_ to help if the other party complained too much. Fidget _should_ know, he had to deal with that infuriating character named Blade when he was Captain Bates's slave.

"What if you _asked_ her, Mr. Fidget?" Paul asked, aware of the secretly angry expression on Fidget's face.

The bat's eared perked at the sound of Paul's idea. The corner of Fidget's mouth quirked up and a breathy giggle escaped through his nose. "Dat's not a bad idea, Paul," Fidget replied, keeping an upbeat outlook on the situation. "Maybe I _will_ ask her." Then Fidget turned his head slightly to look the other way. _Dat is, if she LISTENS to me ..._

Paul smiled and hugged Fidget at the waist. "So, what costume did you have in mind?"

Fidget rubbed the back of his head as he thought about it. "Dat's kind of hard, Paul," he replied, his large ears slightly drooping from embarrassment. "Costumes don't really suit me." He recollected all the times he had dressed in disguises for any of his crazy errands. He obviously wasn't going as the old woman he once did when dealing with Baron von Freirherr. This was a formal masquerade so the expectations would be much higher. Furthermore, it would only stir up bad memories with Rolfe if he saw him in that and Fidget did not want to start that again. Fidget couldn't dress up as a pirate, that was for sure. The Nightwing Pirates' tyranny may have been gone, but definitely _not_ forgotten by the citizens of mousedom. And that baby bonnet would just look plain _ridiculous_ ... although he did pull manage to crack a smile from Deniece when he had been silly with her one night. He had snatched a baby bonnet from one of her foster mother's old dolls and put it on his head to see how Deniece would react. She told Fidget that he looked stupid in it, but she couldn't stop herself from laughing at the sight.

Fidget tilted his head as he pondered ... There was _one_ outfit that he actually didn't mind wearing. It was still a bit fancy for his usual tastes, but so far it had been the one that looked best on him.

"Oy! You two!"

A distant voice disrupted Fidget's thoughts, though only for a moment. It was Hans von Freirherr, and he held two bags of food in his hand. But where was his brother, Rolfe?

"'Elp me to take these to Miss Lydell's place," Hans ordered. "Rolfe and I want to make sure she and Dianah 'ave plenty to eat for a week or two. I don't know 'ow long this masquerade ball is going to be."

"Aren't Allison and her friend comin' too?" Fidget asked above the din as he took one of the bags from Hans. "I t'ought dat _everyone_ had to attend da ball."

"They _are_ coming," Hans replied, "but we could all be at the palace for a while. Miss Lydell may not 'ave the opportunity to replenish her cupboard."

"What would da queen's reaction be if she saw _Dianah_?" Fidget asked with a hint of curiosity.

"Miss Lydell said she'll most likely be outside with Dianah. I don't think we 'ave to stay indoors, Mr. Fidget. And furthermore, Dianah is only a kitten. We won't 'ave to worry about 'er causing trouble."

Fidget sighed inwardly. _Maybe not, but mice still fear cats, even if dhey're only kittens. Allison did say dat rats were da only ones darin' enough to befriend cats_. Still, it did put Fidget's mind at ease to know that Allison, Charles, and especially her cat, Dianah, were going to be there. Having familiar faces present really helped in least desirable situations. Not to mention that Allison herself resented fancy things too. She and Fidget may have gotten off the wrong foot in the past, but that was one thing they _both_ had in common.

"'Ow 'as Paul been?" Hans asked Fidget.

"Paul has been fine," the peg-legged replied with a smile as Paul Triste hugged him by the waist.

"You must really 'ave a way with children," Hans gave him a stunned look. "Paul can be a bit of an 'handful sometimes ... and a bit of a _know-it-all_. He likes to drive Rolfe and I crazy sometimes."

Fidget wrapped his free wing around Paul. "Dhere is never a dull moment with Paul."

Hans shrugged his shoulders in a nonchalant manner. "Perhaps."

"Oy, Hans!" the trio heard a voice cry. It was Rolfe von Freirherr, and he held a couple bags as well ... except these bags contained some bards costumes. For the masquerade ball at Buckingham Palace, no doubt.

"What are you three waitin' for?!" Rolfe replied in a flustered manner. "We don't 'ave all day!"

Hans allowed Rolfe to lead the way in the direction of Allison Lydell's house. Fidget and Paul followed close by.


	2. The Miller's Daughter and the Yeoman

**Oh yes, here it comes! You all** ** _knew_** **that** ** _this_** **was going to happen! After all, Fidget was the one who attempted to have Queen Mousetoria executed by feeding her to Felicia. What inspired me to write this pastiche story was that scene where Mousetoria has Fidget tied up, and in all honesty, I would've** ** _preferred_** **that Fidget's fate in the film would've ended like** ** _this_** **. Not to be killed off, but knowing that he had lost, his punishment is the embarrassment he feels for treating his victims so shamelessly. But I did not create the film and Disney took a different route in deciding Fidget's demise. Since Fidget was Professor Ratigan's second-in-command, Disney decided to have Fidget escape with him, only to be thrown in the River Thames by the very employer he had served for many years. Sorry Disney, as much as I love how you make your points in how good guys will always win, this one was a total disappointment. Why couldn't you make Fidget's fate similar to Horace's and Jasper's from** ** _101 Dalmatians_** **? That would've been fair.**

 **However, I decided to do a little twist on this one. Something that would completely turn Fidget's prejudice of fat, rich, lazy mice around as he discovers some enlightening information he never knew about Mousetoria ... specifically her relationship with Prince Albert and the original vision they shared for the good of all mousedom.**

* * *

 **Chapter 2: _The Miller's Daughter and the Yeoman_**

"I can't believe I don't have a single thing to wear!" Deniece complained as she flung each dress out of her closet and onto her bed. Clearly, the lovely lady bat was in a dilemma. She had so many different dresses, one would generally assume she would have no trouble finding something to wear. However, the event she was trying to prepare for was Queen Mousetoria's masquerade ball. For one thing, dress code standards for the queen were unusually high and ladies were required to have their legs and bosoms covered. But dresses such as those were too uncomfortable for Deniece, her simplistic gowns that fell mid-thigh were much better and suited her. Then there was deciding what she was going to dress as. Back in her earlier years when she was a professional actress for The Mousedemonium Theatre, Deniece wore luxurious costumes and her audience always praised her, saying that she looked like a princess. But she feared that if she dressed that way, then she would run the risk of upstaging Queen Mousetoria and then the citizens of mousedom would be admiring her beauty rather than the queen's. Deniece was unsure how mature Queen Mousetoria really was to handle such a situation, but her experiences with the other girls (especially from The Rat Trap) taught her that too much attention to one specific girl caused chaos. Deniece did _not_ want a repeat of that. Furthermore, the simple fact that Deniece was a bat rather than a mouse made her question what Queen Mousetoria's attitude would be toward bats. Would she look upon Deniece with admiration? Would the two ladies be able to have a woman to woman conversation? Or would Queen Mousetoria see her as a common whore? In all reality, Deniece didn't care what anyone thought of her, but she did worry that a wrong impression would either cause a jealous citizen to point fingers, wondering why only she was allowed to wear something revealing while everyone else overdressed ... _or_ it would attract the attention of a zealot who cannot stand to see bats and rodents intermingle. Oh, _why_ did dressing up _always_ have to be so _stressful_?!

"Have you t'ought of somethin' between a princess and peasant?"

Deniece's ears perked up in surprise. Fidget had just opened the door, noticing that his lady friend was in distress, tormented by the choices of clothes once again.

"I see somethin' in dat closet," Fidget told her, pointing to a cream colored dress with an orange, vest-like top where the front of it was stitched with string that was easy to untie open. Deniece's green eyes narrowed inquisitively. So, it was Fidget to the fashion rescue again, was it? "I know you like comfort," Fidget continued. "And it would be more appropriate for da masquerade. So how about wearin' _dat_ dress?"

"I wish it were _that_ easy, Fidget," Deniece replied, though her friend's consideration for her personal needs made her smile. "But if someone were to ask me what I'm dressed as, what would I tell them?"

Fidget rubbed his chin in a pensive manner as he continued to eye the dress he imagined Deniece to be in. "A Miller's Daughter?" he replied, but shrugged his shoulders shortly after.

Deniece's green eyes blinked in astonishment. A _Miller's Daughter_? That's _it_! Deniece would go as The Miller's Daughter from _Rumplestiltskin_! "Oh Fidget, that's _perfect_!" he cried in delight. Fidget looked confused. _What_ did he just say? But the agonizing pressure that was hurting Deniece's chest began to subside. She could stress less now. "I shall go as the Miller's Daughter from _Rumplestiltskin_!"

Fidget scratched the back of his head. "Who's dat?"

Deniece raised an eyebrow inquisitively at Fidget. _How could he not know about Rumplestiltskin?!_ was what Deniece wanted to blurt out, but reminded herself that Fidget was a slave boy to pirates, thus it wasn't surprising that he wouldn't know. So Deniece briefly described the story of the fairy tale, Rumplestiltskin, to Fidget, who listened with utmost curiosity during the part about the dwarf.

"Dis _rum-pull-still-thin_ , or whatever you call him, sounds pretty _demandin_ '!" Fidget laughed nervously. "Like my old captain, Lillian Bates."

Deniece crossed her arms and gave Fidget a sly smile. "You weren't thinking of _dressing_ as Rumplestiltskin, were you?"

"What?!" Fidget cried out in surprise. "Niecy, I'm _not_ dat bad!"

Deniece giggled. "I was just teasing, Fidget. I wouldn't ask such a thing of you."

Fidget sighed with slight frustration, wondering if he really liked that joke or not. But then he changed the subject. "I already know what I _will_ dress as."

"Oh? What's that?"

Fidget briefly told Deniece about the yeoman outfit he once wore when trying to eliminate Queen Mousetoria. The blond haired, green eyed bat was bit skeptical.

"Aren't you worried that Queen Mousetoria will recognize you?"

"Niecy, _I_ stand out too much," Fidget replied with some exasperation in his voice. "It wouldn't matter if I dressed as a Harlequin and painted my face, my _peg-leg_ would give me away."

"Fidget, you don't even _want_ to attend this ball, do you?"

Fidget shook his head vigorously. "But what choice do I have, Niecy? Da town crier said dat _all_ citizens must go."

Deniece titled her head in a pensive manner. One thing that both her and Fidget agreed on was that they equally detested fancy balls. But Deniece always tried to find a more positive outlook on situations of displeasure. She saw it as an opportunity to get out of the house and mingle with some people; Fidget saw it as being dragged into a nightmare since it was _he_ who tried to throw Queen Mousetoria to Felicia. Still, Deniece was rather surprised that Fidget wasn't acting his usual grumpy self yet and that he was already quick to pick a costume.

"But where are you going to find another yeoman costume, Fidget?" Deniece asked. "I thought you _tore up_ the last one after you broke out of bondage."

"I did," Fidget nodded. "But I can have a new one tailored at Henry & Poole Co."

"Would your _boss_ allow it?"

Fidget nodded. "Also, Hans, Rolfe, and Paul will be dhere. And so will Charles, Allison, and Dianah."

" _Aha!_ " Deniece pointed out. "So _that's_ why you're less pessimistic about the situation than I anticipated. You're looking for an excuse to _hide_ from Queen Mousetoria!"

Fidget slapped his forehead. "Aw, _come on_ , Niecy!" _Now_ his pessimism emerged. "I'm just relieved dat people I already know will _be_ dhere! And I really don't like da queen at _all_!"

" _Why_?"

"She _hates_ us bats!" Fidget complained. " _She's_ da one who passed a law dat _creatures of da night_ are banned from proper education and buyin' _food_! _And_ she allowed Ratigan to have my parents killed! _She's_ da reason I was taken by da Nightwing Pirates! She doesn't care about folks like you and me, Niecy! And she's a fat, lazy _bitch_!"

" _Fidget_!" Deniece replied, shocked by the language that came out of Fidget's mouth (though only slightly-it's not like she hasn't heard Fidget curse before).

"But it's _true_ , Niecy!" Fidget continued. His whole face began to turn red with anger. "Every time I see her face, it makes me want to take dat lady and t'row her off da balcony!"

"Fidget, _calm down_!" Deniece pled as she quickly placed her webbed hands on his small shoulders. She should've known better than to ruin Fidget's positivity. After all, he was doing his best. Fidget's rigid form eased in response to Deniece's touch. He felt an embarrassed flush underneath his fur and realized that his temper was scaring his lady friend. "I'll admit, I myself have questions about the queen's laws," Deniece assured him, "but I highly doubt she's anything like Selena, if that's what you're worried about."

Fidget heaved a sigh of exhaustion. "I just wish we didn't have to go to dis damn masquerade, Niecy. I _hate_ bein' dragged into places I have no desire to be in."

Deniece gave Fidget a firm pat on the back. "Well some our friends _will_ be there with us, like you said. And I know Allison hates fancy things a lot more than we do, so we'll be in good company."

Fidget turned his gaze upward to look up at his lady love. He held one of her hands in his. "Let's find a costume and get dis over with."

"I couldn't agree more."

* * *

"There! All finished!"

One of the tailors at Henry & Poole Co. finished with Fidget's new yeoman outfit. Unlike his yeoman outfit from the last time, the color was in black and red, making Fidget appear somewhat mysterious. The collar of the shirt was simple so that the pores of Fidget's neck could breathe better, his only shoe was red to contrast with the black of the outfit. The only thing that remained somewhat unchanged was his yeoman's hat, with the exception that the flowers that rimmed the hat were _all_ red. As for Deniece, she wore the same dress Fidget recommended and had her blonde hair curled at the ends. An orange kerchief pushed back her bangs and side hair strands, its edges rested behind her large ears.

"You definitely look better in this one," Deniece complimented. "It brings out _your_ eyes."

Fidget blushed. He never thought of his own yellow eyes having _any_ mystery ... not like Deniece's green eyes anyway. But it warmed him every time Deniece gave him a compliment and his yellow eyes softened.

"I'm ready to go, Niecy," Fidget replied, wanting more than ever to just stand and gaze at his reflection in the mirror.

"Let's just make the best of this, Fidget," Deniece assured him as she held Fidget firmly by the hand. "By the light of the full moon, we are as one."

Fidget looked up at his lady love ... and smiled. "Yes ... we are."


	3. A Successor to the Throne

**Oh yes, here it comes! You all** ** _knew_** **that** ** _this_** **was going to happen! After all, Fidget was the one who attempted to have Queen Mousetoria executed by feeding her to Felicia. What inspired me to write this pastiche story was that scene where Mousetoria has Fidget tied up, and in all honesty, I would've** ** _preferred_** **that Fidget's fate in the film would've ended like** ** _this_** **. Not to be killed off, but knowing that he had lost, his punishment is the embarrassment he feels for treating his victims so shamelessly. But I did not create the film and Disney took a different route in deciding Fidget's demise. Since Fidget was Professor Ratigan's second-in-command, Disney decided to have Fidget escape with him, only to be thrown in the River Thames by the very employer he had served for many years. Sorry Disney, as much as I love how you make your points in how good guys will always win, this one was a total disappointment. Why couldn't you make Fidget's fate similar to Horace's and Jasper's from** ** _101 Dalmatians_** **? That would've been fair.**

 **However, I decided to do a little twist on this one. Something that would completely turn Fidget's prejudice of fat, rich, lazy mice around as he discovers some enlightening information he never knew about Mousetoria ... specifically her relationship with Prince Albert and the original vision they shared for the good of all mousedom.**

* * *

 **Chapter 3: _A New Successor to the Throne_**

Fidget and Deniece arrived at the mouse hole entering Buckingham Palace. Charles, Allison, and Dianah already stood there. Allison was dressed in her outlandish red dress with royal card patterns and ruby earrings, Charles was dressed as the White Chess King, and Dianah, the only one not wearing a costume, was just being her cute self, grooming her paws. Upon seeing Fidget within her site, Dianah sprinted in his direction and licked Fidget's right cheek, causing him to giggle.

"Fancy meeting you once again, Mad Hatter," Allison greeted the peg-legged bat with a handshake. "Looks like Dianah is happy to see you too."

"How are things at The Rat Trap, Allison?" Deniece inquired.

Allison shrugged her shoulders. "The same ... except we're not getting as many rude customers lately. And _that's_ saying something. I'm not one to boast, but they simply cannot do without a performer like me."

"It's such a grand event here since Her Majesty's Diamond Jubilee!" Charles added, the excitement of the crowd influencing the enthusiasm in his voice. "And as my dear Allison pointed out, she hasn't run into any ruffians for a while at The Rat Trap. Things have started to look up since the fall of Professor Ratigan and his cat, Felicia."

Fidget's ears slightly drooped at the mention of Felicia. A memory of him almost feeding the mouse queen to the giant cat came back to him. Now that the cat was gone, it would be unusually quiet by that same balcony. Since Fidget never liked that cat to begin with, one would think he would be happy that the stupid furball was gone for good. However, it just felt ... strange and different. Fidget wasn't so sure now if Felicia's departure was a change for the good or a change for the worst. Sure, it was one less demon of his past to worry about, but Fidget sometimes worried it could leave an open opportunity for other demons to enter. Would the peg-legged bat ever learn to _relax_?

"By the way, Basil and Dawson just entered through the mouse hole," Allison continued. "Basil is the one dressed as Dr. Jekyll, and Dawson is dressed as a Harlequin."

Fidget couldn't help but snicker under his breath. He began getting this mental image of the old man as a Harlequin.

"Well, come on, you two!" Allison beckoned. "Everyone else has gone in!"

"Wait a minute!" Fidget blurted. "What about _Dianah_? Da hole is too small, even for a _kitten_!"

"Dianah will be fine out here," Allison replied.

The peg-legged bat's ears drooped a little. "Yeah, b-but ... aren't you worried dat she'll get bored? Or dat da guard dogs would get her?"

"Oh, nonsense!" Allison assured him with a motion of her left hand. "Dianah knows better than to wander off in places she's not supposed to, plus I allowed enough play time before we came here. She won't mind the wait, and besides ..." The girl rat motioned Fidget to come closer so she could show him the room were the crowd stood, "We're not that far from where the festivities will begin anyway. Dianah will be close enough to keep an eye on her."

* * *

The curious quartet spotted Basil and Dawson close by a table filled with hors d'oeuvres, and the pudgy doctor couldn't help but snack on a few of them. Fidget laughed as he noticed the Harlequin outfit that Dawson was wearing. The old man looked _ridiculous_ , but it did give Fidget a good laugh. Deniece gently tugged on Fidget's wing and pointed in the direction where she spotted Rolfe, Hans, and Paul. Both Von Freirherr Brothers were dressed as bards, while Paul was dressed as a royal guard. Fidget ran off to greet them, especially little Paul who hugged Fidget at the waist. Deniece greeted Basil and Dawson, both were delighted to see her and complimented her highly on her costume ... although Basil was surprised by the fact that Fidget was here.

"How is your boyfriend taking this?" Basil inquired.

"Well, he wasn't happy at the fact that he had to come here," Deniece confessed. "He hates the queen."

Basil nodded and rolled his eyes. "I do remember him mocking our queen the first time I met him."

"But for the most part, he seems to be doing alright," Deniece assured Basil with a motion of her head. "Here's over there with Rolfe, Hans, and Paul right now."

The mouse detective studied the yeoman outfit that Fidget wore. "His yeoman costume is definitely a bit different from before."

"Looks better on him, that's for sure," Dawson added.

Deniece chuckled. "I just want Fidget to make the best of things, even if it's something he detests."

"I'm just worried what the queen would do if she recognizes him," Basil whispered, a hint of concern in his voice. "Queen Mousetoria never forgets a face."

No sooner was this said than the trumpets sounded, causing everyone in the room to cease their talking. All heads turned to the podium. The green curtains drew, stepping onto the podium was Queen Mousetoria herself. Not a mechanical queen like the one Hiram Flaversham built, but the real Mousetoria in flesh and fur. The queen was in costume like the rest ... this one was a sparkling white dress, in place of her crown was a veil that covered her face. Queen Mousetoria was dressed as a _bride_? _Why_? The queen was not re-marrying.

"Citizens of Mousedom!" the queen began with both her hands raised outward. "I suppose all of you are wondering _why_ you had to come and why I'm dressed like _this_."

Fidget and Deniece both turned their heads in Mousetoria's direction with curious expressions on their faces.

"We are gather here tonight," Mousetoria continued, "to announce that I will soon resign as ruler of mousedom. I have wanted to announce this during the Diamond Jubilee, alas it had to be pushed aside due to unfortunate events brought upon by a treasonous act."

Fidget flinched at the sound of that last statement. He knew too well was Queen Mousetoria was talking about, he had been there.

"But many thanks to the aide of Basil of Baker Street and his assistance, Dr. Dawson, Professor Ratigan and his henchmen are gone. Therefore, I am here to announce that the one heir who will succeed me after I am gone is none other than my eldest born son, Prince Mouseward VII. My son is not here at the moment, he is in Germany now. But upon his return, he will take my place. When that time comes, I want all of you to pay your respects to him as you have with me."

Fidget tilted his head in a curious manner. _Prince Mouseward VII? Who is dis Prince Mouseward?_

"Now," Mousetoria added, not quite finished yet, "as to why I am dressed like this, I am wearing the same dress when I married Prince Albert, my deceased husband. He loved festivities, so this masquerade is held in his honor."

Deniece blinked her green eyes inquisitively. _Prince Albert has been dead for years!_ she shouted in her head. _No offense Your Majesty, but isn't it time you move on and let your beloved husband to rest?!_

Queen Mousetoria lifted her veil so that everyone could gaze upon her face. "With all that said, let the festivities begin!"


	4. Have You Been With Us LONG?

**Many thanks to disneyfangirl774 and teamdark2741 for all your support. If it wasn't for your persistence, constructive feedback, and asking questions, I would never have gotten this far. Now comes the part where Queen Mousetoria's gaze locks on Fidget. And her famous line "Have you been with us, long?" comes back. Song lyrics are from "More Love," by Jasmine Guy. Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 4: _"Have You Been With Us LONG?"_**

After Queen Mousetoria's grand announcement about her successor to the throne, the crowd resumed in their mingling. Fidget temporarily walked outside the mouse hole with Hans and Paul to introduce them to Allison's cat, Dianah. As Fidget anticipated, Paul was a bit scared of Dianah at first, until she approached him and gently nuzzled Paul's ear with her bridge, causing the little boy mouse to giggle. It wasn't that Fidget didn't believe what Allison said about Dianah not getting bored, he just didn't feel right about leaving the kitten alone ... not after what had happened to Felicia. Plus, he needed a bit of cool air to relax him. Crowds always made him nervous and sweaty.

Back inside the palace, Queen Mousetoria conversed with Basil, inquiring if he had run into any more criminal cases since Ratigan's demise. Basil assured her that the streets of London had been safe and that she had no need to worry about anything. Though Basil found himself stuck between two sensitive situations. He was trying to do his job as a detective while upholding the law and maintaining loyalty to the queen; at the same time he had to make sure Fidget stayed out of trouble and maintain a somewhat civilized behavior while trying hard to not antagonize or embarrass the bat more than was necessary. Fidget had been such a troublemaker in the past, enough to put gray hairs on the mouse detective. But despite the fact that Basil had his own skepticism of Fidget, he couldn't deny the fact that the peg-legged was making an effort to improve himself. After all, Deniece had made sure of it, Basil _did_ witness the lady bat challenging Fidget if she caught him in an act that she greatly disapproved of.

The mouse detective graciously shifted the conversation from Queen Mousetoria to Allison. Upon seeing the lady rat, Queen Mousetoria became a bit skeptical ... until Basil told the queen that it was Allison who helped him with his last criminal case. In return, Allison bowed before the mouse queen, who was the first to correct Allison that ladies curtsy before a monarch while men bow. Allison told the queen that her knees ached if she knelt (which was _partially_ true), but humbly apologized if she did anything to offend Her Royal Majesty. Mousetoria's only response to that was that she told Basil that Allison had a unique beauty to her. The queen would've generally added "for a rat" but decided to leave the conversation to end at Allison's beauty for fear of being rude. Then Mousetoria's eyes shifted to Deniece. The lady bat curtsied before the mouse queen. Mousetoria had asked both Deniece and Allison to stand side by side, both ladies obliged even though both were uncertain as to why the queen would ask such a thing of them. The mouse queen became intrigued by both their uniqueness in beauty, Deniece's green eyes, Allison's tawny-colored eyes, their slender curvaceous bodies (though Allison was slightly skinnier and not nearly as tall). Queen Mousetoria complimented them both and asked them if either had any gentlemen escorts. Allison pointed to where Charles Dodgson stood, who was conversing with Dr. Dawson right now. As for Deniece, she told the queen that her gentleman was also here but was a bit shy among people.

"What is your beloved Prince's name?" Mousetoria inquired. The mouse queen had a habit of addressing any gentleman as a Prince, even if it was not their title.

"His name is Finnius, Your Majesty," Deniece replied. The lady bat thought it wise to say Fidget's real name rather than his notorious name. "He's a tailor by profession. Mind you, he is a bit shy."

As Deniece continued to speak of only the good qualities of her beloved to protect Fidget, the peg-legged bat had just returned from outside. He was still conversing with Hans and Paul, while Rolfe was with Charles and Dawson. However, Queen Mousetoria's conversation with Deniece came to a halt when her dark eyes locked onto the image of the gray-furred bat in the black and red yeoman costume. She graciously excused herself with the lady bat and descended the podium, straight in the direction where Fidget stood. Basil and Deniece froze in their stance, realizing that Mousetoria had taken notice of Fidget sooner than they anticipated, as did Allison, Dawson, and all the others. Rolfe, Hans, and Paul backed away from Fidget temporarily, the peg-legged bat was confused as to what was going on. Approaching Fidget from the back, Mousetoria tapped his shoulder to get his attention.

"Have _you_ ... been with us ... _long_?"

Fidget froze as he noticed the shadow on the ground that some lady figure had approached him ... and it was _not_ Deniece, nor was it Allison. Fidget's heart began to pound so fast as he slowly turned his yellow gaze to face this woman who had stood behind him. The bat's large ears drooped in submission when he saw who it was. He quickly averted his eyes from hers.

"Why do you look away, young man?" the mouse queen asked inquisitively.

"I, uh ... I ... I ..." Fidget began to stammer.

"He's _shy_ , Your Majesty," Deniece politely intervened, speaking in Fidget's defense. "He avoids everyone's gaze, even mine."

Fidget breathed an inward sigh of relief. Hopefully that distract the queen's attention long enough for him to slip into the background. Mousetoria quickly turned her gaze back to Deniece in surprise.

" _This_ is your _beloved_?" the mouse queen asked.

Deniece nodded. "He was just startled by your approach, Your Majesty. He wasn't expecting anyone to come behind him and tap his shoulder."

Fidget took the opportunity to scurry away behind the crowd of mice that stood across from Mousetoria's side. Luckily, they were too immersed in conversation among each other to pay attention to what Fidget was doing. He walked through the maze of mice couples as stealthily as possible, until he was facing the back of Deniece. When Queen Mousetoria turned to face where Fidget once stood, she realized that he no longer stood there. That was when Fidget whispered to get Deniece's attention; in return, Deniece motioned him to come forward and draped her great wing over him.

" _I say_! Where did he go?" the mouse queen blurted in surprise.

"I asked him if he could check on my pet for me," Allison spoke.

"Your _pet_?" Queen Mousetoria replied, her eyebrow raised.

Allison nodded. "My Dianah. She doesn't like to be alone, _and_ she likes Finnius."

No sooner had the lady rat said this than she gestured with her hand in the direction of the mouse hole where Dianah's face peeked through. Queen Mousetoria nearly gave a startled cry upon seeing the cat's face. In response, Dianah smiled and meowed. Fidget was able to get a glimpse of what happened and couldn't help but snicker at the mouse queen's reaction ... until Deniece lightly slapped slapped Fidget's arm and gave him a serious look. Fidget's ears drooped in submission. After Allison assured the queen that the kitten was harmless, Mousetoria's mind was put at ease (though in all honesty, she couldn't imagine why any rodent would dare harbor a _cat_ ).

* * *

Deniece nearly gave Fidget an earful of disapproval in regards to his snickering at Mousetoria's insecurities.

"You know an act like that could get us _both_ into trouble!" Deniece whispered through gritted teeth.

" _What_?!" Fidget blurted with both hands raised in the air. "I couldn't help it, Niecy. It _was_ funny!"

Deniece crossed her wings and gave Fidget a serious look. "Fidget, that wasn't even nice. You wouldn't have liked it if someone laughed at your fears, would you?"

"Niecy, it's not like I carried her and fed her to Dianah!" Fidget replied defensively. "And besides, you don't like da queen either."

Deniece's green eyes shrunk in surprise, as if she were slapped in the face. "Well I don't go about complaining how unfair the queen is toward bats."

"Yes you do," Fidget contradicted.

"And I don't laugh at her silly policies," Deniece continued, pretending to ignore Fidget's last remark.

"Yes you do."

Fidget cracked a smile while Deniece gave him avery serious look. "You need a _spanking_!"

Fidget laughed out loud and fell to his knees. "Niecy, you're funny! You _know_ I'm too old to be spanked."

Deniece wanted to rebuttal with _Well, there was the time when the Von Freirherr Brothers punished you for killing their mother_ , instead she held her tongue while she seethed in her anger. As much as she disliked losing, Deniece had to remind herself that she shouldn't ruin Fidget's optimism. After all, with two zealots out on the loose hunting Fidget down, he needed to be in a crowd induced atmosphere, which always raised his optimism at an all time high.

The orchestra, who were playing in the room behind the green curtains the whole time, had suddenly changed their tune of music. A young lady mouse, who was actually Queen Mousetoria's daughter, took center stage at the podium as she began to sing:

 _People dance in circles around the feelings in your heart._

 _Move a little closer so our love won't drift apart._

Couples everywhere in the room danced as the mouse princess sung. Only Fidget and Deniece remained motionless.

"Her Majesty's daughter has a beautiful singing voice," Deniece replied in awe.

"I like _yours_ better," Fidget bragged. "Why don't you take center stage and sing? I bet you can beat her anytime."

"Fidget, you _know_ I don't use my singing for purposes like _that_!" Deniece blurted, a slight blush appearing on her cheeks. "Besides, you know I can sing for you when we return home later on."

Fidget sighed heavily. "I was givin' you a _compliment_ , Niecy."

The lady bat sighed inwardly. Sometimes she didn't know what to do with Fidget's antics. To take her mind off the matter, Deniece insisted that she and Fidget dance. The peg-legged bat responded by acting coy, but Deniece was not having any of it. Everyone else was dancing, there was no excuse for the two of them not to.

 _Won't you let me give you all the passion that I feel?_

 _On this night, you'll see the truth. More love's what we need ..._

Fidget's cheeks blushed as he found himself move to and fro in a dancing frenzy. Sometimes it felt rather awkward that he was not taller than Deniece, but the lady bat's laughter and merriment helped him to overcome his fears. Soon, the sung-spoken words of the mouse princess encircled the two bats until they were both lost in the sound. If Queen Mousetoria had took notice of the two bats dancing together, then they were quite oblivious to it. Whether they looked gracious or ridiculous to the crowd did not matter to them.

 _I will bring out all my love and lay it at your feet,_

 _But I need a sign from you to make our love complete ..._

And little did Fidget and Deniece realize was that Queen Mousetoria did take notice of them. The mouse queen rubbed her chin in deep thought as she tried to figure out why that gray-furred bat in the yeoman's outfit looked so familiar. Then her thoughts skipped to the image of the kitten's face that peered through the mouse hole. Mousetoria's dark eyes shrunk in fear. The cat ... the bat ... Now she remembered! The mouse queen had a mind to cease the festivities and warn her fellow citizens that Ratigan's henchbat was here in the palace ... until her thoughts were interrupted by a tug on her shoulder. Panic gripped the poor mouse queen as she turned to see who it was.

" _Bertie_?!" Mousetoria blurted.

"Good evening, mother," the young mouse bowed. It was none other than Mousetoria's eldest son, Prince Albert Mouseward VII. But everyone closest to him, including his mother, all called him _Bertie_.

"I thought you were still in Germany," Mousetoria uttered, surprised to see her son here.

"I came home early," Mouseward replied. "I read all about the calamity that happened during your Diamond Jubilee in the papers. I worried about you, so I had to make arrangements to come as early as possible."

Queen Mousetoria heaved an exasperated sigh. "I'm fear we may have a _repeat_ of that calamity, Bertie. _Look_."

The mouse queen pointed to Fidget and Deniece, who were still dancing to the sound of the mouse princess's song.

 _Isn't it time we made our move and cross the lover's line?_

 _Read my eyes and read my lips, touch your heart to mine ..._

"I say," Mouseward looked at the two bats in awe. "They do make a charming couple."

Mousetoria slapped Mouseward's arm in disapproval. "Are you daft, Bertie?!" she blurted. "That bat in the gray fur was _part_ of that calamity."

Mouseward took a second look at the two bats, this time focusing on the gray-furred one that his mother was mentioning. Was this bat really part of the calamity? The creature really didn't look that threatening. If anything, he looked too immersed with his lady love to even care that his mother existed.

"Bertie, we have to warn our people!" Mousetoria warned her son. "I will _not_ have a repeat of what happened during my jubilee!"

"Was the bat's lady love a part of the calamity too?" Mouseward asked inquisitively.

"Well, no," Mousetoria sighed as she gazed in Deniece's direction. She intended to saw more, but soon found herself entranced by the bat couple herself. Something about the way they looked into each other eyes ... it almost reminded her of when Mousetoria herself was young and she was dancing with her beloved Prince Albert.

"From the look of things, mother," Mouseward interrupted, breaking his mother out of her trance, "I doubt there is any need to worry. But ... if you do see any signs of trouble, call me."

Queen Mousetoria gave a reluctant nod. "I suppose."

I _n fact,_ Mouseward thought as he gazed at the two bats dancing as if there wasn't a care in the world, _I shall approach these two when my sister has finished her song. I'm rather curious to know more about them, especially the lady bat with the mysterious green eyes_.

Mouseward walked in the direction of Fidget and Deniece, careful not to bump into any of the other mice couples on his way.

 _Give me a chance!_

 _Let me prove to you how much I love you,_

 _And I want to know you better ..._


	5. There are TWO SWANS in King Mouseward's

**Ooooo, looks like "Bertie" is smitten with Deniece! And I don't think Fidget likes it. This chapter is relatively short.**

* * *

 **Chapter 5: _There are TWO SWANS in King Mouseward's Court!_**

After Mousetoria's daughter had finished her song, the crowd applauded in response (including Fidget and Deniece). The two bats looked at each other and began to converse, until they were both approached by a tall figure dressed in a red uniform with medals. It was a mouse with the same shade of fur as Queen Mousetoria's, he was dark-haired but slightly balding, and he had a dark brown beard and mustache. He was modestly good-looking, but had a serious expression on his face. Both bats' ears flicked back, though Fidget's ears flicked back more than Deniece's.

"Are you ... one of the queen's royal guards?" Deniece was the first to speak.

Within seconds, the mouse's serious expression was replaced with a smile. "What a pleasure it is to meet you both," the mouse replied with a humble bow. "My name is Albert Mouseward VII."

Both bats gaped at each other before returning their gazes to the gentleman mouse.

"Dhen _you're_ da one who's gonna be our new King?" Fidget replied.

Mouseward nodded. "Please, don't be alarmed. I was just admiring you two dance. You two are like swans of the night in a pond of us rodents."

Both bats blushed at Mouseward's poetic compliment. Fidget himself felt rather awkward, he never thought anyone would address _him_ as a _swan_. In fact, the last time he heard of any bat being compared to birds were during his days on The Bloody Rose. And _those_ bats were named after birds of _prey_ , not birds of _grace_.

"What is _your_ name, young sir?"

Realizing that the soon-to-be mouse king was addressing the peg-legged bat, Fidget felt a lump in his throat that prevented him to speak. Normally he would've responded with _none of your business_ , but if he were to do such a thing, he would greatly embarrass Deniece. Not to mention that this was a royal monarch and there were _rules_ that even citizens of mousedom had to follow. Fidget almost took to using one of his hands to help him to talk, but then he found his voice again. "F-Finnius," he replied. "F-Finnius Andrew Holloway" He dared not to tell him the nickname that he was forever stuck with. He wasn't quite sure how much information this mouse king shared with his mother.

"And what do you do for a living, Mr. Finnius Holloway?"

"I-I'm a ... t-tailor, s-sir," Fidget replied. "I ... w-work at d-da Henry & P-Poole Co."

Mouseward raised an eyebrow at the peg-legged bat. "You sound _reluctant_ to tell me your profession, Mr. Holloway."

"He's shy, Your Majesty," Deniece spoke, rescuing Fidget from embarrassment. She knew that whenever Fidget stuttered, it was a warning sign that he was trying to suppress either his prejudices toward monarchy, or his past life. "He's not used to talking to anyone other than his friends and family."

Mouseward shifted his attention from Fidget to Deniece. "Oh, I'm not bothered by it. Your beloved actually conducts himself very well in public."

 _That_ caught Fidget off-guard. What made the mouse king say that? Everyone _knew_ that Fidget was a rather _poor_ speaker!

"And I'm sure Mr. Holloway has a very fine wife who supports him," Mouseward complimented.

Once again, the two bats blushed as they gazed at each other. "We're ... _not_ married _yet_ ," Deniece replied.

"Oh?" Mouseward replied. "When are you two setting a date then?"

Both bats stood awkwardly as their eyes shifted to each other.

"We haven't discussed wedding plans yet, Your Majesty," Deniece answered. "We're ... trying to sort some things out."

"What _kind_ of things?" Mouseward asked inquisitively.

"I-it's my p-parents, s-sir," Fidget decided to intervene, feeling as if he was making Deniece do _all_ the talking. "D-dhey're gettin' old, dhey have no one to _help_ dhem, except Niecy and I. I help clean house, my father is teachin' me finances, my mother teaches Niecy sewing. Dhey teach us what dhey know since dhey have no children to pass their knowledge to after they die."

Mouseward gave Fidget a confused look. What did the bat mean by his parents have no children to pass their knowledge to?! Wasn't _he_ their child?! Fidget took notice of the mouse king's bewildered gaze and told the mouse that the parents the peg-legged bat was talking about was his foster parents and that his real parents were killed by Ratigan's orders. Both Mouseward and Deniece stepped back in horrified shock at Fidget's answer. Mouseward was obviously shocked because he didn't imagine that Fidget would be a victim; Deniece was shocked because she didn't expect Fidget to volunteer _that_ kind of information to the mouse king.

"Oh ... I'm terribly sorry," Mouseward replied, his head slightly lowered. "You have my deepest sympathy, Mr. Holloway. My real father passed away too, though his was a different matter. His health was failing."

Deniece nodded. "Your mother has mentioned the death of your father a few times," the lady bat replied with sadness. "She must've been very heart-brokened."

Mouseward sighed. "She has never recovered from it unfortunately. I try to help her to get over it, but sometimes she can be so _stubborn_."

As if to graciously interrupt their conversation, slow waltzing music commenced playing. The crowd of mice couples took to dancing. Mouseward temporarily turned his gaze to the musicians before returning his gaze to the bats. "Would Mr. Holloway mind if I borrow your lady love for a dance. Normally, I would ask my wife, but she's exhausted from the trip home now."

Deniece blushed at the mouse king's offer. Fidget took notice and shifted a suspicious glance at Mouseward. Just because the peg-legged bat decided to be civil with the mouse king did not mean he had the right to push himself between him and Deniece (especially if the rodent is _married_ )! As for Deniece, she did not blush because she was shy or humbly honored by a gentleman's gesture. She blushed because she herself felt just as awkward about the situation as Fidget. Deniece had her fair share of courtship in the past, mainly from middle class to upper class men, and they had been _disastrous_! And when it involved another woman, such as a former lover or a wife, Deniece would end up in some crossfire. She wanted no part of that!

"Forgive me, Your Majesty," Deniece cordially replied with a curtsie, "I'm afraid I must decline. But it has been a pleasure."

Mouseward sighed inwardly, he was slightly disappointed, but dared not press any further. "I understand, Miss. Well, _married or not_ , I trust _you two_ will be successful in all your endeavors."

Now a blush appeared on Fidget's face. He didn't expect any blessings from a royal monarch. He had forgotten about his suspicions in that instant. Then a thought occurred to Fidget. "What does your _mudher_ expect of us?"

Mouseward smiled at Fidget. "You have _nothing_ to worry about, Mr. Holloway. If she expects something from you, she will come to you herself. Happy Wedding Day to you both!"

The mouse king bowed before leaving the befuddled bats to stare blankly at him. Clearly, they didn't know what to make of this king. He had already wished them a _Happy Wedding Day,_ and neither one of them had _begun_ to discuss wedding plans yet! But so far, Mouseward had been civil and cordial to them both, so they guessed they were alright. Because everyone else was dancing, Fidget and Deniece decided to shrug off the whole matter and resume to dancing.

Once again, Mouseward approached his mother's side. But Queen Mousetoria looked displeased.

" _Bertie_ , you're _incorrigible_!" Mouestoria spat out. She didn't hear all the details of the conversation between her son and the two bats, but was able to hear enough. "Do you realize what you've just _done_?!"

Mouseward chuckled at his mother's pettiness. "I _still_ think you have nothing to worry about, mother. That grey-furred bat is no longer a threat to you."

Mousetoria crossed her arms and cocked an eyebrow. "How can you be _so sure_ , Bertie?"

"Have you noticed Mr. Holloway's body language?" Mouseward pointed out. " _That's_ a sign of remorse for a misdeed. Even when he spoke to me, he was rather hesitant. He probably thought I was going to execute him."

"Bertie, what utter nonsense is _this_?!" Mousetoria blurted with a tone of impatience. She disliked it when men acted so nonchalant about serious situations. "That boy nearly fed me to Ratigan's cat, I say that we warn the citizens _right now_!"

"And _what_ exactly do we _tell_ them, mother?" Mouseward countered. "That Ratigan's _ex-slave_ is on the loose and that we should have him thrown in the _dungeon_?!"

The mouse queen blinked in surprise. "Is that what _he_ told you, Bertie?"

"Mother, he doesn't have to tell me anything," Mouseward concluded. "As I mentioned before, his _body language_ gives it away."

Mousetoria had a mind to slap her son silly ... until she caught a glimpse of the two bats dancing with each other again. Once again, the mouse queen was dazed at the sight of the two lovely creatures dancing together. The two were like swans moving in a pond of rodents, as Mouseward had phrased it. She never thought she would be so bedazzled by the sight of two bats in her palace. She didn't want to admit it, but maybe her son was right in that she really had nothing to worry about. But a part of her was torn between the beautiful image of the bat couple before her and the rogue bat that had deceived her with a note, that had her tied up, and almost had her executed. What was the mouse queen to do?


	6. Prince Albert's Vision

**I want to give a special shout out to teamdark2741 for helping me out of a Writer's block on this chapter, and another shout out for disneyfangirl774 for catching all my spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. You two are AWESOME! :) Note, this chapter is pretty long, I wound up writing more than I thought, but hopefully you all like it. Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 6:** ** _Prince Albert's Vision_**

"Somehow I get da feelin' da queen is watchin' us, Niecy," Fidget told Deniece in a wary tone of voice. "It's makin' me _nervous_."

Deniece sighed heavily. "I'm inclined to agree, Fidget. As cordial as her son has been to us so far, I don't know if I can trust him _near_ us."

"And I _didn't like_ how dat Mouseward guy was courtin' you!" Fidget added, almost arrogantly. "I saw you _blush_ when he asked me if he could _borrow_ you!"

" _Hey_ , I did _not_ say that I approved!" Deniece replied tersely. She also wanted to say that she did not approve of Fidget's envy because it was not necessary. But she decided to slightly turn the subject around. "I have heard from other mice that Mouseward has had many mistresses. I would be really suspicious around a married man with _many mistresses_."

"Probably because he can afford it, Niecy," Fidget concluded. "After all, he's da queen's son."

"Riches have nothing to do with it, Fidget," Deniece pointed out. "That is just plain _irresponsible_. But, I digress. That is just _speculation_ , I don't really know for certain."

"I agree with your lady love, Mr. Fidget."

Both bats turned. It was Hans Von Freirherr, he had seen the whole ordeal with the soon-to-be mouse king and walked over to check on the two bats to make sure they weren't being interrogated. He had just happened to overhear their conversation, specifically because Fidget mentioned the idea of Mouseward _being able to afford having many mistresses_. After all, Hans still remembered that night during the Christmas season when he and Fidget had that disagreement about rich people reaping all the benefits while the poor were made to suffer.

"Forgive me," Hans replied, slightly lowering his head. "I wasn't trying to eavesdrop. I was worried that the Queen and future King might call the guards on you two."

Fidget sighed with relief. Hans and Rolfe may have been the children of _rich parents_ , but the peg-legged bat did _not_ regret the day he met the two brothers.

"I haven't forgotten about our talk at Christmas, Mr. Fidget," Hans continued. "I haven't forgotten how much you hate _rich people_."

Fidget's ears drooped slightly. "And ... I haven't forgotten about da trouble I caused for you and your brother."

"What?!" Hans reacted. "No, that's not what I meant!"

Fidget blinked his eyes as if he had been confronted by an opponent. "Oh."

"Mr. Fidget, I don't hold grudges and neither does Rolfe. And I don't think you should, either."

The peg-legged bat rolled his eyes, somewhat flustered by the topic of conversation. Was it because it was a difficult topic for him, or was it the mere idea that someone younger than him is giving _him_ advice. "I _know_ , but I can't help it! All I can t'ink about is dat law she passed about banning creatures of da night from gettin' proper education!"

Hans gave Fidget a confused look. What law was the bat talking about? Deniece told Hans that it was Captain Lillian Bates who had told Fidget this.

"How do you know she was referring to bats, Mr. Fidget?"

Fidget's face turned red with fury. Another question he couldn't answer. Why did he have to get _all_ the questions that he couldn't answer?! Hans was quick to notice this, but he was not afraid. He decided to move forward with the subject.

"I don't expect you to have an answer, Mr. Fidget," Hans assured him. "All I'm saying is that perhaps it would be better that you go to Queen Mousetoria yourself and resolve the matter rather than hiding from her eyesight."

Fidget's mind went into a panic. _Him_ , go to _Queen Mousetoria_?!

"And what if she calls da guards on me, Hans?" Fidget replied, crossing his arms. "If she does, I could be sentenced to transportation! I would never see Niecy or my family again! I've already lost my only family left to Ratigan's henchmice, I do _not_ want to be separated from da one I have now!"

Both Deniece and Hans saw that Fidget was getting upset and going into one of his rants. Hans lowered his head with shame, he began to feel bad that he brought up a subject that Fidget found very painful to discuss. Deniece decided to step in before the situation would escalate.

"What I think Hans means is that you should consider bringing this matter to a _closure_. Since you've already brought closure between you, Hans, and his brother, why don't you do the same with Queen Mousetoria?" Fidget's ears drooped in embarrassment. He was bringing unwanted attention to his friends, wasn't he? Deniece rested her webbed hand on his shoulder for reassurance. "Think of it this way. If you went to the queen herself and explain everything to her, wouldn't it bother you _less_?

Fidget heaved a sigh of great reluctance. "Oh, _alright_ ," he replied, raising both hands in defeat. " _I'll do it_."

The peg-legged bat turned the other way to look for Queen Mousetoria and her son. They had no longer stood in the same spot as before. He knew they did not leave the palace, but where was he to look first? Buckingham Palace was pretty big. Suddenly, he felt a tug on his wing. It was Hans.

"Mr. Fidget," Hans replied.

"Yes, Hans?" Fidget inquired.

"I only wish the best for you, in spite of our past mishap. I would be a very bad friend if I did not suggest this."

Fidget did not say a word, but gave the mouse a tiny smile. "T'anks, Hans."

* * *

"Somehow I wonder if making you my successor is a wise decision!" Queen Mousetoria complained.

Mouseward sighed as he crossed his arms. "You're _still_ trying to get me to match _Father's_ expectations? You haven't changed, Mother."

"I still think you're a fool, Bertie!" the mouse queen continued.

"Then _why_ make me your successor?"

Queen Mousetoria stopped complaining. The only answer to that question was because Mouseward was the eldest born son, and by tradition, it was always the eldest born son that succeeds the throne. But Mousetoria often questioned _what was tradition_. She had _always_ questioned tradition since she was a little girl. Sometimes she had wished she wasn't born into royalty and was sometimes jealous of the poor citizens of mousedom. It seemed like they had all the time in the world to play and frolic.

"I know you miss Father," Mouseward continued, "but he has been dead for a while. Isn't it about time you lay the matter to rest?"

"It's not your failure to match your father's expectations that bothers me," Mousetoria protested. "It's your casual demeanor with that peg-legged bat you spoke with earlier!" Mousetoria paced back an forth in a worried frenzy as visions of Fidget close to throwing her to Ratigan's cat plagued her. "His presence bothers me, Bertie! I don't trust him!"

"Well, your original order _was_ for _everyone_ to come, _rodent or otherwise_ ," Mouseward reminded her. "What did you expect?"

"Bertie, you're _siding_ with that creature!" Mousetoria retorted.

"I'm siding with _you_ , Mother," Mouseward corrected. "You have no idea _how much_ I've sided with you. And I confess, it's rather exhausting."

Queen Mousetoria shot a sharp glare at her son. "How dare you test _me_!"

"There, you _see_?" Mouseward pointed out. "I speak my mind only _once_ , and it offends you."

Just outside the opening to Mousetoria's dressing room, Fidget was within earshot of the two mice. It was Mousetoria's daughter who had allowed Fidget the permission to take a shorter cut to where Mousetoria was. His ears flicked back in fear when he overheard the mouse queen say that his presence bothered her. _GREAT idea, HANS!_ Fidget thought in dismay. _Da queen doesn't even WANT to see me!_

Fidget was about to turn around to head back, but stopped short when his peg-leg caught onto something. There was a hole in the wooden plank of the floor ... and Fidget's peg-leg got stuck in it!

"Dammit!" Fidget cried, louder than he intended to.

The conversation between Queen Mousetoria and King Mouseward ceased when they heard that cry. They both knew someone was just outside where they were. The two mice rushed to see what was going on. They both spotted Fidget, who was struggling to get his peg-leg out. It was Queen Mousetoria who broke the silence.

" _You_ see, Bertie?" the mouse queen pointed out. "I _knew_ that bat would start trouble! _Guards_! _Guards_!"

Pure fear gripped Fidget's mind as he struggled now more than ever to free his peg-leg from the wooden floor. _Dat's it!_ the poor bat thought. _It's over ... I'm DEAD ..._

"Oh don't raise a fuss, Mother!" Mouseward gave his mother a rebuttal. "Can't you see the poor boy got himself stuck?"

Mousetoria gave her son the _Evil Eye_ , but Mouseward ignored it as he approached Fidget to help him up. The future mouse king pulled out Fidget's peg-leg with ease and allowed the bat to stand up. As Fidget situated himself, Mousetoria confronted him with an angry tone of voice.

"What are _you_ doing here?!" she demanded.

"What am _I_ doin' here?!" Fidget exclaimed defensively. "Why did _you_ make me come here?!"

"Now, now, you two!" Mouseward spoke to both parties with authority in his voice. "Why don't we go back inside the dressing room and settle this matter _peacefully_?"

* * *

Deniece and Hans had decided to converse with Charles and Allison to pass the time away. Rolfe and Paul went outside momentarily to keep Dianah company so her presence wouldn't scare any other mice away. As for Basil and Dr. Dawson, they were discussing their next crime-solving case, which focused on the two criminals in question: Llewelyn of Breconshire and Selena Lunarias. Now that Basil had already seen Selena and knew her real identity, he imagined finding her would be no difficult task. It was Llewelyn of Breconshire he wasn't so sure of. He knew that Llewelyn of Breconshire used to be Ratigan's right-hand bat _before_ Fidget had assumed the position. And presumably the most dangerous. But they had dared not to discuss the matter in front of Fidget and Deniece. Not until three days after this masquerade ball would be over.

"Fidget is taking an awfully long time," a nervous Deniece told Allison. "I have a feeling Fidget has gotten himself into trouble."

"Oh, I'm sure he's fine, Deniece," Allison replied with a waving motion of her left hand. "Your beloved has come a long way."

"Perhaps Miss Deniece and I can check on Mr. Fidget," Hans suggested. " _Just_ to make sure."

Deniece nodded. "I saw Fidget speak with Mousetoria's daughter. It looked like she directed him through some short cut."

"If we ask her," Hans began, "wouldn't she allow us to go there too?"

"I couldn't agree more," Deniece replied as she and Hans politely excused themselves from Charles and Allison to find Fidget. "I feel much better if you and I act as back-up, just to be certain. I know my Fidget, he can be hot-tempered if he feels threatened. I worry that he and Queen Mousetoria have gotten into some _disagreement_."

* * *

"A _law_ against _creatures of the night_?!" Mouseward exclaimed.

Fidget nodded. He had preceded to tell both Queen Mousetoria and Mouseward the whole story, from the time Ratigan's henchmice (who claimed to be priests at the time) killed both his parents to the time he wound up as Ratigan's henchbat and took part of the calamity during Mousetoria's Diamond Jubilee. He even told them the name Captain Lillian Bates had given him, a name that he had been stuck with ever since. Mousetoria huffed impatiently, wanting to give the bat a piece of her mind, but her son held her back with the motion of his hand. _He_ wanted to give the peg-legged bat a chance to explain himself first to get as much information as possible before his mother would call the guards. But upon hearing Fidget tell him that his former Captain of the Nightwing Pirates told him that the mouse queen passed a law that banned all creatures of the night from proper education and banned them from getting food, the mouse king was dumbfounded. Clearly, this young bat was under the impression that Mouseward's mother was a tyrant upon bats and the poor that lived in mousedom. As for Mousetoria herself, she had no idea what this bat was talking about. She had no war against bats at all! What was the _point_ of it all?!

"I'm exceedingly sorry you've suffered the most, Mr. Holloway," Mouseward apologized with sincerity. "Or should I said _Fidget_ , since that's the name my Mother has overheard Professor Ratigan address you?"

"It makes no difference to me now," Fidget replied. The peg-legged bat sat on a stool cushioned with a pillow that Mouseward had offered so he wouldn't fidget so much. Mousetoria was obviously offended by her son claiming that _Fidget_ had suffered the most.

"Clearly, someone has given you incorrect information," Mouseward told Fidget. "Yes, my mother is quite demanding, but she has _no quarrel_ with you."

Fidget did not say another word, but trembled very badly. He didn't want to stay in one spot, even if it was on a cushioned stool. And the fact that Queen Mousetoria nearly called the guards on him did not make the situation any better. He wanted to be with Deniece and his friends! He wanted to be in more familiar surroundings! He wanted to _go home_!

Mouseward took notice of Fidget's uneasiness. He decided to break the silence. "Perhaps, if you hear the truth, Fidget, you'll understand better."

Fidget lifted his yellow eyes to meet Mouseward's gaze. "Da _truth_?" he repeated. " _What_ truth?"

"About my mother and father," Mouseward answered. "About their vision for mousedom."

Queen Mousetoria began to tremble as badly as Fidget did. "Bertie, what are you _doing_?!"

"He _has_ to know, Mother," Mouseward replied, shooting a defiant stare at her. "It's the only way to settle this, once and for all." The soon-to-be mouse king motioned for both Queen Mousetoria and Fidget to sit on the couch against the wall _together_. The two shot surprised glances at each other, but both obeyed Mouseward's non-verbal command. He wanted to make sure the two were side by side, it was the only way he knew how to address this.

"You see, Mr. Fidget," Mouseward began, "you and my Mother are not as different as you think. She too, had been brainwashed."

" _What_?!" Fidget cried. He shot a confused look at the mouse queen, who had just slapped her forehead in embarrassment.

"Lady Lehzen, who was once my mother's most trusted advisor, made a puppet out of her. And ... not only did it _deprive_ her of having a good relationship with my grandmother, it also ruined her reputation as a young queen, giving her a bad name. Many needs of the poor were neglected, yes, but my Mother was not to blame. Lehzen had mislead her. It wasn't until my father, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, married my mother and made sure that things were set to rights. My father was the first to see what a threat Lady Lehzen was to the family, my mother's health was at great risk. Even my sister, whom you and Deniece have had the pleasure to hear her sing for you, was nearly _killed_ because of Lehzen's poor advice to mother while she was sick. If it wasn't for my father's intervention, my sister would not be here today."

Fidget gaped as he heard Mouseward tell him about the conspiracy that Queen Mousetoria was mixed up in. The more he thought about it, the more he was under the impression that the mouse-queen was sounding like his own beloved Deniece.

"Mother didn't want me to share this with anyone," Mouseward continued, "because it is much too painful for her. My father was her salvation as he was also a salvation to the common-folk of mousedom. My father had Lehzen sent away, never to set foot inside the palace ever again. So that the past conspiracy that Lehzen had started would not be repeated again, both Father and Mother shared a vision that would keep all citizens of mousedom free from tyranny. That vision was this: _Might shall always be in the service of right_. _The poor shall stand strong and live long. The rich shall be their light in their dark of night. Creatures of day will find a way, creatures of night make the future bright. May all citizens live free from the oppression of tyranny. Mice, rats, bats, and any creature living in this world shall live in harmony. Only then, war shall be no more._ "

Both Mousetoria and Fidget gazed at each other sheepishly before averting each other's eyes again. Queen Mousetoria found herself in a daze, the memories of her and her beloved Prince Albert became vivid when the two of them made that speech to the people. But ever since her husband's death, that vision had nearly been lost. Mousetoria spent all her days in mourning, the vision was just not the same without her husband by her side. As for Fidget, he felt deeply ashamed for completely misjudging the mouse queen. All this time, he thought Mousetoria hated bats and hated the poor. He thought by helping Professor Ratigan to dispose of her would bring an end to the tyranny. Now that he was no longer under Ratigan's influence could he see that such an action would've put all of mousedom in a much worse situation than it already was in. And he never would've imagined that even royalty were just as likely to become victims of conspiracy as the poor were.

"Don't you see, Fidget?" Mouseward informed the bat. "Had this information been reached to you sooner, you would've been spared the suffering of losing your right leg and crippling your wing. It may have also saved your parents' lives."

Before he could stop anything, tears began to flow down Fidget's cheeks. But Fidget wasn't crying because he was hurt or in pain. He was crying because another chain from his past had been unshackled. Just as Queen Mousetoria had been in mourning for the death of her husband and the loss of her childhood, so had Fidget been in mourning for his parents and the loss of _his_ childhood. And just as the mouse queen found a lover that was her salvation, so had Fidget found a lover that was his salvation. He and the queen were really no different from each other. Fidget no longer needed to live in fear of Queen Mousetoria, whether she would decide to sentence him to transportation or not. Fidget now saw the mouse queen with brand new eyes. He saw her with a sign of respect. Before he realized what he was doing, Fidget removed his hat and fell to his knees next to Mousetoria. By this time, the mouse queen rose to her feet and approached the bat from the front. She knew there was a reason she was mesmerized by the image of Fidget and Deniece dancing. They were the spitting image of her and her beloved Prince Albert when _they_ were young. As much as she hated to admit it, her son was right about Fidget. She no longer needed to worry about him being a threat to her. He had no reason to.

"Stand up, Mr. Fidget," Queen Mousetoria commanded, with a more softer tone.

Fidget lifted his eyes upward before rising to his foot and peg. For the most part, he was silent. Only two words had escaped his lips:

" _Your Majesty_ ..."


	7. A Word of Good News

**Another shoutout to my loyal readers, disneyfangirl774 and teamdark2741 for following my stories, asking questions, and helping me to see what other writers/readers see when they read my stories! Without your loyalty and your help, the speediness and conclusion of this story (and many others) would not have been possible. AND, although she has been super busy with life, I want to give a shout to a long time loyal fan named Mouse Avenger! I'm very proud of her progress in the creative arena, and her modern twists on GMD help me to better understand what new fans want and what new fans like. Enjoy everyone!**

* * *

 **Chapter 7: _A Word of Good News_**

Deniece and Hans were directed by Mousetoria's daughter to the dressing room where Queen Mousetoria, King Mouseward, and Fidget were. By the time they reached there, Deniece spotted her beloved Fidget standing in front of the mouse queen herself. The lady bat felt her heart stop upon seeing Fidget's tear-stained face. Had his worst nightmare come true? Had Queen Mousetoria sentenced Fidget to transportation for his past participation in a conspiracy to overthrow her?

Just then, Fidget could feel the familiar presence of someone entering the room and approaching him. Both He and Mousetoria turned their heads to see who it was. Mousetoria was the first to break the silence. "Looks like your lady love has been worried about you, Mr. Fidget."

Deniece sighed inwardly. By the sound of Queen Mousetoria's prior statement, the lady bat did not have to worry about Fidget's fate. "We _sent_ Fidget to look for you to bring closure to the calamity of your Diamond Jubilee, Your Majesty."

"Did you?" Mousetoria replied in a neutral tone.

"He has suffered greatly," Deniece said to the mouse queen as she knelt next to Fidget and wrapped her wings. The peg-legged bat stoically turned his head in her direction, before returning his gaze to Mousetoria. "Fidget's foster parents have been very gracious to take him under their care. He was afraid that if you found him, you would have him sent away from his loved ones."

"Yes, he _told_ us," both Queen Mousetoria and Mouseward said in unison.

Deniece momentarily turned her gaze back to Fidget's. His face was still stained with tears, but they were far fewer than before. "You _see_ , Fidget? Now you don't have to worry about it anymore."

Fidget nodded in response, his expression was neutral. His yellow eyes returned to meet the mouse queen's dark eyes. "What did you wish to tell me, Your Majesty?"

Deniece's ears perked in surprise. Never did she imagine such words to ever escape _his_ mouth. Fancy titles always intimidated Fidget, so he would often resort to less formal, often which sounded rude to most folks but felt more comfortable and natural to Fidget. As for the peg-legged bat himself, it no longer bothered him to do so. This evening was the first time in his life he had courage to say the word _Majesty_.

"I have only have _one_ thing to say," Queen Mousetoria began. "Since you made quite an impression on my son already, I shall grant you this small courtesy as our way of letting bygones be bygones. The name Fidget, which has given you notoriety, shall be dropped from public speaking. From this night forward, you shall be addressed by your birth given name ... _Finnius Andrew Holloway._ "

Fidget's large ears lowered graciously at the sound of his birth given name being called. He felt another chain being lifted from in imprisoned soul. He did not say a word, but knelt before the queen as his own way of showing gratitude. He secretly wished he could've given more, but wasn't sure what a monarch could possibly want that she didn't already have.

"Mr. Holloway is _pleased_ by this news, Your Majesty," Deniece replied with a curtsy. "We will never forget this."

Both bats began to turn the other way to leave with Hans. They were only stopped once by Mouseward, who still had something more to say to the peg-legged bat.

"When you can, Mr. Holloway," Mouseward began, gesturing his hand toward Fidget's crippled wing, "see to it that you find a good surgeon to fix that crippled wing of yours."

Both Fidget and Deniece exchanged stunned looks. There was a way to _fix_ his crippled wing?! How was that possible?! As if he was able to read their minds, Mouseward gave them a nod. "Your wing doesn't have to stay crippled, you know. There are surgeons who are trained professionally to fix such things as that. I'm pretty sure you know of one already."

Yes, the two bats did know of a surgeon who could possibly fix Fidget's broken wing. It was none other than Basil of Baker Street's assistant, Dr. Dawson. Fidget suddenly began to feel so light-hearted that he thought he would float to the ceiling. It was as if thousands of chains had been un-fastened. To be able to fly again, after being cursed to the ground for so long? It all sounded too good to be true!

"I'll keep dat in mind, Your Majesty," Fidget replied with a humble bow. "Niecy and I will never forget dis."

* * *

The clock of Big Ben struck midnight when the Masquerade Ball at Buckingham Palace finally ended. Fidget and Deniece told Charles and Allison the good news that was given to them by the two mouse monarchs. Charles and Allison exchanged astonished looks.

"Well, that _is_ good news!" Charles replied. "You'll be able to enjoy long flights with your lady love."

Both bats exchanged smiles.

"Sounds like Mouseward VII will make a _fine_ king for mousedom," Allison replied with confidence. "It's about time that old Queen Mousetoria stepped down. I was getting rather tired of hearing her _pine_ over her departed Prince Albert."

"Oh, it's not _dat_ bad," Fidget replied waving his arm passively. The words of King Mouseward VII about Prince Albert's vision to the realm of mousedom still echoed in his head. What he originally thought would be a nightmare re-lived turned out to be a window of endless opportunities. Once again, their _Guiding Light_ served as their beacon.

Allison gave a mere shrug of her shoulders. "Well, don't forget to speak with Dr. Dawson _before_ he leaves." Her tawny-colored eyes caught sight of Basil and Dawson exiting the mouse hole at that very moment. " _There_ he is right now, Fidget! You better get going!"

Fidget wasted no time in flagging down Dr. Dawson to have a word with him.

From the top wall where the Royal Guard Dogs slept, a dark figure kept close watch on the two bats. A pair of cold yellow eyes were fixed specifically on Fidget, who was now discussing the matter of having his crippled winged fix so he can fly again. Apparently, this dark figure had incredibly acute hearing.

"So you wish to have your crippled wing mended?" the dark creature whispered to himself. His accent sounded Welsh ... and somewhat archaic, as if was the voice of King Arthur's knights. "But your requests are foolish fancy. You still haven't paid back the debt you owe your fellow coworkers."

The dark creature's body was covered by his great wings. It made the shape of a misfit flower bud. Only his two yellow eyes were visible through the slit opening between the two wings. A low, unearthly giggle pushed through his gullet. "You may have defeated Felicia, little misfit, but you will never defeat Llewelyn of Breconshire."

No sooner had the creature spoken this than he turned around and took flight.

* * *

"Looks like Dr. Dawson will see to the matter of your wing next week!" Deniece told Fidget, her voice musical with excitement. "What will be your plans after your wing is healed?"

Fidget was just as excited as Deniece was, yet a part of him held his excitement inside. He so desperately wanted to believe that there was a chance of his wing being fixed. How beautiful it would be to fly through the dark skies once again. But he couldn't rest assured just yet until the night his wing is actually fixed. The last thing he wanted to do was get his hopes too high only to be greatly disappointed by the harshness of reality.

"My plans?" Fidget repeated in an inquisitive tone. "I ... I don't know ..."

"Well, start making a list," Deniece urged. "I've been thinking of the two of us flying over the London Bridge."

"Over _London Bridge_?" Fidget repeated, his face began to brighten like the full moon. "Dat would be _great_! My father used to take me dhere when he was alive!"

Deniece giggled, enjoying the sound of Fidget's newfound optimism. "I'm sure your father would've been delighted to see his only son's wing healed after all these years!"

The two bats enjoyed the remainder of the night back in Deniece's home on Addington Street, talking about Prince Albert's vision and how it was coming into fruition little by little with the allies they have made. But the two became exhausted from all the excitement and took to bed to dream nothing but pleasant dreams. What was to happen when his wing is healed? The future was as bleak as a quiet _war front_ on a battlefield of possibilities. And indeed it was like a war front ... for the dark creature that had spied on them back at Buckingham Palace would surely find some way to sabotage Fidget's chances of getting better. And friends like Charles, Allison, Rolfe, Hans, and Paul will be the bats' allies whenever that time comes.

The End


End file.
